1. Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image forming apparatus including a storage portion that temporarily stores a sheet on which an image is formed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine and a printer, including a storage portion that temporarily stores sheets inside the image forming apparatus so that the user can take out only his/her own sheets on which an image is formed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-220905 discuses an image forming apparatus including a plurality of storage portions which temporarily store image-formed sheets inside the image forming apparatus, aside from an ordinary sheet-discharge tray which is arranged on the top surface of the main body of the image forming apparatus and is shared by a plurality of users. To take out the sheets stored in a storage portion, the user performs user authentication using an identification (ID) card. The user authentication is performed by the user causing own ID card to be read by an ID card reading unit arranged on the image forming apparatus. If the user authentication is successfully performed, the sheets belonging to the user who has instructed to discharge the sheets are discharged to the outside of the image forming apparatus. As a result, the user can take out only his/her own sheets on which an image is formed.
In a configuration where the storage portions are arranged inside the image forming apparatus as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-220905, the number of sheets that can be stored in the storage portions is limited. Since user authentication using an ID card is needed to take out the sheets stored in the storage portions, persons other than the user who has instructed to print the sheets cannot take out the sheets. Therefore, if sheets are stored in all the storage portions and then if the user forgets to take out the sheets from a storage portion, the state where the storage portion cannot be used by other users continues.